lobbyist

noun

lob·​by·​ist ˈlä-bē-ist 

plural lobbyists

: one who conducts activities aimed at influencing or swaying public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation : a person engaged in lobbying public officials

The new rule says that if you were a registered lobbyist in the past two years, you can't work for the administration on any issue you touched. After you leave government, you can't lobby the administration at all.

—Jacob Weisberg

Because so many lobbyists have past experience on Capitol Hill, they usually have personal ties both to members of congress and to their key staffers, who vet and prioritize the earmark requests.

—Ken Silverstein

Examples of lobbyist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mayor Mamdani is free from the pressures of lobbyists and warmongers who try to cultivate and flip rising stars. —Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026

Both McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell have pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Dec. 2025

Of those, 794 were signed and 123 were vetoed, according to data tracked by veteran Sacramento lobbyist Chris Micheli. —Linh Tat, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025

Joel Hand, a lobbyist for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, said that generally small rural school districts have the hardest time passing referendums, when taxpayers are strained the most, and suburban school districts have the greatest success. —Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 26 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lobbyist

• hobbyist